Nick Polizzi – For millennia, we humans have had our most important conversations, forged our strongest, alliances, and made our biggest decisions at the same location. The dinner table. In every corner of the globe, family traditions have been passed down through recipes, ceremonial serving items (Grandma Pearl’s set of fine china or Uncle Hazzba’s after-dinner hookah), and stories shared over meals. The sacred before-meal prayer — offering thanks for the bounty and abundance that feeds and nourishes our bodies — in the many forms it takes across cultures, has been a grounding reminder for even the smallest family members about the importance of being grateful for what we have.
Sadly, I see these rituals becoming less common in our busy modern lives. Families gather around the television instead of the hearth, individuals interact with their devices instead of each other, or food is grabbed from a package while on the run. Meanwhile, many are longing for more connection to each other, to the Earth, and to spirit. Continue reading